Picture Overload!

As Tyson and I was taking out Kai's 0-3/3 month clothes tonight and loading into an already overly stuffed tote, I couldn't help but be sentimental about certain outfits.  Tyson and Kai were nice enough to sit in the glider in Kai's room to keep me company.  Outfit after outfit that I pulled out of his closet or dresser, I kept saying "Ohh...he wore this when....."  or "He only wore this once.....".   However, in the midst of it all, I came across the hat that the nurses put on Kai immediately after he was born.

Teeny, tiny with lots of room to grow into....

Now....pulled completely on and it doesn't even cover his ears!!

I also told Tyson that because Kai only wears outfits a few times, I feel the need to take pictures everyday (and because he changes from one week to the next)!!  So...here is mega-picture overload from the past week!

So this little stinker likes to be pulled up by his hands to a STANDING position.  Forget the sitting position!  He'll lock his legs so he's pulled all the way up!

A Town Celebration

Last weekend was Cedar Falls' annual Sturgis Falls celebration.  However, to started the weekend off on Friday by going to the Byrnes pool with Wendy & Ava on Friday afternoon.  Kai of course hated the cold water, so Wendy and I went back and forth between holding Kai and playing with Ava in the water.  When we got home, we went for a family run, then Tyson taught me how to play Wiffle Ball.

On Saturday morning, I got up with Kai and waited for Tyson to get up later.  Once he was up, I headed downtown to save a spot for the parade with our lawn chairs.  Then I came back home and finished getting ready.  We left about 45 min before the parade started and had to park FAR away.  It was quite the trek to get to our chairs.  We got there right at the same time as Malcolm's.  Kai slept on the walk there, then was awake through the first half of the parade, but snoozed through the second half.  The loud music and horns kept making him jump though.  Ava LOVED the parade and my dad even joined us for most of it as well (my mom was on vacation in Minnesota at my aunt and uncle's resort).  After the parade, we used the bathroom at Jiva (where I had to give Kai an outfit change) and then headed to Overman Park to find something for lunch.  We all ended up getting pork burgers because the lines everywhere else were ridiculously long.  We plopped down on the curb to eat and then headed across Main Street for the rides!!  My dad spoiled Ava with ride tickets and money for games.  I don't know how many times she rode the Merry Go-Round, but my dad and I each took a turn with her on the whale ride.  Finally Wendy was able to get her away from all of the rides and games and we walked across the river to Gateway Park.  There we looked at some vendors, let Ava play at the park, and the guys enjoyed an ice cold adult beverage.  It was starting to get time to feed Kai so we decided to make the hike to our cars.  I decided to put Kai in the baby carrier and he stayed awake the whole time (I thought it would put him to sleep).  Ava on the other hand totally crashed in her stroller!  She kept telling Wendy & Darren how much fun she had.  What a sweet girl!!  Tyson and I ended the night on the couch after a LONG day of walking around.

Sunday morning was spent being really lazy.  I think I got in as many naps as Kai.  Eventually we went for a run and then played another game of Wiffle Ball while Kai continued to nap in his stroller.  I had to forfeit when Kai woke up crying though!  I'm sure I would have come back and won otherwise!! It was another busy weekend for the Burton's! 


This week my mom is being our nanny!  I'm attending a conference at the Pipac Center Monday-Thursday (only one day to go!!) on Reading and Writing.  She's been busy planting flowers, doing laundry, making supper, and still taking care of Kai.  Great...now Tyson will probably expect those same things from me after my mom leaves tomorrow!

Oh, and we're still patiently waiting for Baby Malcolm to make his/her appearance!!  We're hoping it's any day now!

Dear Kai...

I cannot believe how fast time is going!  Your daddy got some advice from a friend before you were even born: Don't complain about how tired you are because that time will be gone before you know it.  Boy, was he right!  I can hardly remember the nights where you were waking up every 2 hours.  I can't remember a time when I would look at you and you wouldn't smile, or recognize me, or not make eye contact with me. 

There are so many things that I love about you at 2 months.  I love that when you wake up in the morning, you don't cry.  I know you are awake because I can hear you "talking" in your crib.  When I walk in, you are usually fixate on the mobile above your crib, until you see me standing over you, and then you flash that smile that makes me melt.  When you smile like that, I don't even care that it's 6:00am and I'm on summer break. 

<3

I love that you are learning new things every day!  Just two weeks ago when we put you in your Bumbo for the first time, you wouldn't hold your head up.  You would just lean it against the back.  Now, you sit up straight and look us right in the eye.  You seem so proud of yourself!  You've also definitely discovered your hands and fingers over the past few weeks.  They are almost constantly in your mouth, especially if your binky falls out!  Sometimes when I'm driving, I can start to hear you making sucking noises in the backseat.  That's how I know that you've ditched the binky and are using the next best thing: your fingers!

You always have your feet up & fingers in your mouth!

You're getting close to putting toys in your mouth too!

As independent as you are getting, I'm still glad to know that you still need your mommy.  Although it's hard on others, especially your daddy, I can't help but love that sometimes nothing else works to calm you down besides snuggling with me or hearing my voice.  I know eventually you'll be too busy for me, as most boys are.  You'll want to be outside playing sports with Daddy, so I'm soaking up this time with you now.


I can't wait to watch you grow up and learn new things, but slow down a little.  It's hard on your mommy to know that soon our lazy days of summer will end and I'll be back to work and you'll be off at daycare.  I'm really trying to make the most of these days, as I know a lot of mommies aren't as lucky as I am to get to spend the first 4 months at home with their baby.

Love,
Mommy

Father's Day

Usually Saturday and Sunday are my days to sleep in and after Kai takes his morning feeding, I get to go back to bed.  However, because it was Father's Day, I stayed up with Kai and let Tyson sleep in.  We spent the next couple of hours just playing with Kai and Tyson opened some gifts.  I had washed the one outfit that Kai has left in 0-3mo. that he hasn't worn yet.  I was saving it for Father's Day.  However, when I was in the shower, Kai decided to have a blow out and COVER his outfit!!  So..plan B had to come into play and I also got to scrub baby poop out of his outfit when I was fresh out of the shower.

We left for Dumont at 11:00 to meet my parents, Josh, and Malcolm's before heading over to Hampton to Beed's Lake.  My mom and Josh headed over early and scored a picnic table right by the beach.  My aunt Mari and cousins Kendra and Hannah had lunch with us as well.  After lunch, Ava made Josh try out all of the outdoor games that my mom had packed to bring along.  Darren and Tyson tossed around the football and the girls sat around and loved up on Kai!  Eventually Ava ended up in the water so we got her into her swimming suit.  She had a blast!! Tyson put his trunks on too so he could play in the water with her.  She is such a little fishy! While they were having fun in the water, the rest of the girls and Kai went for a walk.

Tyson and the little fishy!

When we got back, Darren and Tyson had recruited two little boys to play football with them!! 

First Father's Day

Happy Father's Day Tyson!!

Look at this little stud muffin!

Getting some lovin' from Daddy!

"Hi Mommy!"

Uncle Josh & Kai

Wendy, Darren, and Ava were heading over to Darren's parents' house for supper, so we went to hang out at my parents' house for a little bit before heading back to Cedar Falls.  We had such a fun day!!  Although I'm not ready for Kai to grow up, it would have been fun to see him playing in the water with Ava.  We might have to do this again next year!!

Papa & Kai

I can cross off 'go on a picnic' from my summer bucket list!

Play Date!

Kai had his first "play date" with Parker when they were both only a week old.  They both slept right through it.  Now that they are both two months old, we planned another play date and added Leighton (7 months old) in the mix!! 

Kai and Parker are only three days apart, so it will definitely be fun to watch them grow up together.  Us mommies are lucky we're all teachers and can have play dates all summer long!!

It was fun to see what I have to look forward to in 5 months when Kai is Leighton's age.  She was so independent and could just sit up and grab toys (and Gerber Puffs) on her own.  Kim (Parker's mommy) kept commenting on how fast Leighton downed her 6oz bottle when Parker had only eaten about 1oz!

Of course the boys both still took naps!

Look at that hair compared to Kai!

Look at all of these babies with their binkies!!

Getting three babies to lie on the floor next to each other for a picture is hard work!

 After Leighton left, Kai was done eating and ready to play!

They had just been holding hands!

Wordless Wednesday

A Whirlwind Weekend

Saturday marked Kai's two-month 'birthday'.  We celebrated with monthly pictures in the morning, followed by our first family run.  After showering, we loaded up the van and headed to Nana and Papa's for the weekend!

As soon as we got there, my mom, Kai, and myself went to a garage sale in Hampton.  The little boy whose clothes were being sold is 3 years old now, but was also born in April, so the sizes/seasons should be perfect!!!  My mom and I both scored some good deals.  Kai is going to be the best dressed little boy around with all of the shopping among me, Wendy, and my mom!! After the garage sale, we hit up a few stores downtown and then a consignment store (where Kai got more stuff) before heading back to Dumont.

Having fun on Nana's new play mat

My dad and Tyson were busy cutting down tree limbs when we got home.  We spent the rest of the afternoon sitting on the deck enjoying the weather, although it was a little too windy.  Then once my mom got Kai to sleep, I dug up two baseball gloves and a ball and Tyson and I played catch for awhile.

Before supper we got on Google+ to video chat with Tyson's mom and sister.  After supper we chatted with his Nana. 

On Sunday morning, Kai let me sleep in until 8:00 (after a 5:00am feeding) so we didn't make it to church.  Instead, my mom made french toast and sausage for breakfast and then we got ready to go to Ackley to visit my grandma Pecha.  When we got there, my aunt Bev was visiting her as well.  This was the first time that they got to meet Kai!  My grandma couldn't get over Kai's little hands and feet!

Great Grandma Pecha meeting Kai for the first time

Giving Kai some lovin'!

4 generations

After visiting grandma, we headed home to pack up our bags and then off we went to my cousin Hannah's sweet 16 birthday party!  She had her friend party the night before and they still had the bounce house for the kids to play in.  I was going to get in, but never got around to it.  Dang it!  Kai got to meet his great uncle Keith and great aunt Becky, along with 2nd cousin Shanlyn and 3rd (is that right??) cousins Brevin and Jaeley.

Jaeley & Kai (I should have taken another with Jaeley's eyes open..haha)

Brevin & Kai

The birthday girl & Kai

We ate supper which was followed by presents and cake & ice cream.  My cousin Lorinda made the cake!  How cool is this?!?!

Darren, Tyson, and Brevin headed outside for one last game of ladder golf, while I was getting Kai to sleep inside.  Ava finally warmed up to the bounce house and was having a blast too!

So sleepy!!

Meinders girl cousins (we're missing 7 male cousins & 7 spouses)

CHEESE!!!

We finally started out trek home at 8:00pm.  After drinking a bottle in the van, Kai slept the whole way home, woke up long enough to have his diaper changed and pjs on, then slept until 2:00am!! 

I don't know if we could have fit anymore into one weekend!